A major political storm has erupted in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar over allegations of extensive irregularities in the voter list prepared for the upcoming Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) elections. The controversy ignited on Friday, with leaders across party lines demanding immediate corrections and strict action against officials responsible for what they term a "shocking mess".
Minister Levels Serious Allegations
District guardian minister Sanjay Shirsat launched a sharp attack on the civic administration, accusing it of committing grave errors while updating the electoral rolls. Speaking to reporters, Shirsat revealed that he possesses evidence of the chaos, citing nearly 2,500 complaints received from the public.
He provided a stunning example, stating, "The commissioner claims to have formed a team of 400 officials, yet voters from Prabhag 24 have been moved to Prabhag 26 — 13,307 voters jumped in one go." Shirsat further detailed a massive and illogical displacement of voters across different areas, specifically naming movements from localities like Mukundwadi to Devlai and Satara.
"This is not a minor mistake but a massive blunder," he warned. "The list has been changed on such a scale that common citizens will suffer." Demanding urgent scrutiny, the minister appealed for intervention to prevent potential disputes and law-and-order issues during the elections, insisting that such gross carelessness must attract strict disciplinary action.
Opposition Leader Echoes Concerns with Staggering Numbers
Echoing the minister's concerns, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danve presented even more staggering figures. He alleged that a colossal number of 2.9 lakh voters have been shifted from their original wards.
Supporting the demand for correction, Danve confirmed that a party delegation met the municipal commissioner on Friday and submitted details of the irregularities. He stated that the problems are not isolated, affecting 24 of the 29 corporation wards.
"A total of 2.9 lakh voters have been shifted from their original location," Danve said. "They are not just moved to the neighbouring ward, but to entirely different third wards. Nearly 25–30% of voters have been relocated improperly."
Duplication of Names Adds to the Chaos
Beyond the mass displacement, Danve highlighted another critical flaw: widespread duplication of names. He alleged that approximately 1.75 lakh voters appear on both the zilla parishad and municipal corporation electoral lists.
"This is not just duplication but an entirely different problem," he asserted, blaming irresponsible work by the officers involved. "Officers are working irresponsibly and must be suspended."
The scale of the alleged errors has cast a shadow over the integrity of the electoral process for the CSMC elections. With leaders from both the ruling party and the opposition uniting in their criticism, the pressure is mounting on the civic administration to conduct an urgent and transparent review of the voter lists to ensure a free and fair election.
